Of Mice and Predators
by Argumedies
Summary: One murder, one mystery, out of all the criminal cases an officer could find themselves on, some cases should never come to be. *this is far from over* just a first draft, I'm aware it needs work. I'll try and fix errors later
Of Mice and Predators:

She straightened her outfit as she made her way into the bar. She wasn't comfortable in the long silky-red low cut dress that swayed around her cottontail and hips as she walked. It ruffled the fur on her legs with every step and the high heels that completed the ensemble felt like she was walking a tightrope on her tiptoes. But the worst part was the gems and beads embedded throughout the dress, they glistened and reflected every light within the room like a beacon that screamed, "Come and get It." And when you're in a room filled with predators, you didn't have to look at them to know that every eye was upon you. Most were cats of the large variety, but mingled in were a few wolves or other canids plus a couple of brown Bears for extra intimidations; but she took a deep breath and sashayed across the room, if you look like you're in trouble, it's because you already are.

"I'll have a Carrot Collins," she said to the bartender as sat down upon the stool who looked back at her with a scowl upon his Cheetah face. But reluctantly he made the drink and handed it to her; she smiled and paid the bill, then sipped at the concoction when the fur on the back her neck stiffened. "That didn't take long," she thought.

"What's a pretty little prey species like you doing in a place like this?" he spoke.

"Waiting to hear the cheap cheesy pick-up lines of predators like that," she replied looking down at her drink. She didn't want to look at him directly so she tried to catch a glimpse of him in the bars mirror but the stack of bottles obscured the image.

"Well, I guess when you hang around them too long; you gather some of their bad habits. Mind if I have a seat?"

"It's a free city." She spoke and dared a glimpse to her left as he sat upon bar stool next to her. But turned her head in surprise as the male that sat there was also a rabbit.

"Thank you my dear, it's not often that one finds company such as myself inside The Dens."

He was a tall, dapper, lop-eared brown buck wearing a black business outfit, white shirt, and yellow tie. By his accent she suspected that he was of middleterranean or Bourgonian, definitely not from around Zootopia. She blinked, realizing that she was staring at him.

"It's okay my dear, I get that reaction quite often. Bartender, I'll have what she's having."

She took a longer sip; "I came in for a drink," she smiled answering his earlier question. "I was supposed to meet a friend, but he never showed up."

"That is too bad; he passed up a chance to see such a wondrously beautiful lady."

She smiled, "Yes, I think it's because he sees me every day…"

"And you decided to try and show him another side of you," he said finishing her sentence. "I take it that you care about this buck?"

"Nick? Oh no, he's just a friend. It wasn't like a date or anything," she lied. "We were going to watch the play 'Felines,' that opened this weekend."

"And he stood you up. That is also a shame, it was a wonderful performance."

"Well don't spoil it for me; maybe someday I'll get to see it."

"That would be most unfortunate because if you miss tomorrow's performance then it won't be until next weekend before you could and there's nothing like seeing the opening performance because that is when they are filled with the most energy. If you were not doing anything tomorrow I have access I would love to accompany you to the play.

Looking at the time, she tipped her glass back finishing off its warming contents. "Thank you, that would be nice but my bus will soon be here. And the thought of coming all the way back would be just too much."

"My apartment is not too far away, you could stay there and we could make a day of it, I can take you back stage and you could meet with some of the performers."

She smiled at him, and relaxed a bit, "Okay."

"Bartender," he ordered. "Another couple of Carrot Collins please, my tab."

"Oh and where are my manors, he said turning back to her as the drinks arrived. "My name is Rex, Rex Harrington."

She smiled again "Judy, Judy Hopps."

….

His alarm clock beeped loudly at him and starched out a red furred arm from beneath the covers smashing down upon the snooze knocking the clock to the floor where it continued to beep at him. Grabbing the edge of the bed Nick dragged himself out of bed onto the floor where he reached back scratched himself behind the ears.

He got to his feet, yawned, stretched, kicked the clock under the bed, and made his way into the bathroom. He fumbled around with the shower stall handles forgetting that the cold water comes first and Nick came to life with a frozen yip.

Nick stood in front of the mirror brushing his teeth when he realized that Judy hadn't called him yet. She's usually extremely punctual with her morning calls and it almost annoyed him when she did. But then so many things have changed since she walked into his life he now didn't know what he would do without her in it. He had been around many vixens before but none of them has ever really caught his interest. But Judy was different and not just because she was a rabbit. He really liked her… spunk… among other things. And she had a way of making him feel comfortable around her.

Nick dressed himself in his officer's uniform and grabbed his silent cell phone. She still hadn't called. "No big deal," he said to himself "She's been working a very difficult case. He would have helped her but Chief Bogo wanted him on another assignment."

He placed the phone in his pocket when it started to buzz. He quickly pulled it out; it wasn't her.

"Talk to me Clawhauser," he said answering it. "Chief wants me to meet him where? The Dens? Okay… okay… Yes, I know Chief doesn't always explain everything to you. Tell him I'm on my way and tell Judy where I'm at… what do you mean she never showed up…. have you tried calling her? That's okay Clawhauser, I'll give her a ring." Nick hung up with a worried look then quickly dialed her number, no answer.

….

Every place has a dark side and in Zootopia that dark side was The Dens. A hard-core predatory area that stretched across the city centers, it is the oldest of all the districts, and many say it was the original city long before Zootopia existed. Today, it has become a haven for the most criminal of animals. If the Underground was criminal paradise then The Dens was its doorway. Drugs, money… anything. If you wanted it and had the cash, you could find it there. Most citizens of the city avoided that area but then, Nick was no ordinary citizen. While he never dabbled in The Dens hidden depths, he often, in his former line of work, used its variety of networks to work a few swindles. None of it 'overly' illegal of course, but what the Chief didn't know wouldn't put him in jail.

Which made him wonder why it was 'he,' that the Chief wanted to see. "Guess the ole Ox finally realized that my knowledge of the city was indispensable after all."

Nick's mind wandered back to Judy, he had attempted to call her several times, but he never got an answer. Now he was worried.

As Nick rounded the last corner, he came to a stop in front of an old apartment building filled with other ZPD officers and ambulances, coordinated off by yellow crime scene tape. Not surprisingly really, this was a very common sight within The Dens.

Nick flipped his badge at one of the other officers and told him that the Chief brought him in special, and then made his way up to the steps where they were bringing out the two gurneys with a small black bag upon each. Nick knew what they were, they a part of this job he keep telling himself that he might run across someday. "Sometimes he just didn't understand why Judy fell in love with this job."

Nick made his way inside, Speaking of which, Nick tried Judy's number again… it rang, no answer. Only… was he hearing things… it rang again. "Why would…" As nicks phone continued to dial he followed the sound and when he found its source Nicks blood ran cold. He walked over to it, there, inside the marked bag was Judy's phone. It sat alongside a larger bag that contained a long red dress, Nick recognized that as well, that was a dress Judy had bought, she told him it was for a 'Special assignment'

He reached for it, the image of her wearing it for the first time when she showed him last week, how he… how it made him feel… how he…

"Nick Stop!" Chief Bogo bellowed. "Do not touch that evidence."

Nick stopped, his jaw was slack, wordless. "What…. Chief… what happened? Why is Judy's…"

"Easy Nick," Chief Bogo said calmly. "We don't know, we don't know everything"

"Chief… Those body bags, was one of them…"

"We don't know!" he exclaimed.

"What do you mean you don't know? You couldn't tell by looking at her?"

"No…" Bogo said but dropped his eyes to the ground avoiding Nicks gaze. "No we couldn't." even with years of experience on the force even he was un-prepared for this. But Bogo quickly recovered his composure resurrecting his wall of duty first, feelings second. "Officer Wild, follow me."

Nick caught on quickly, he also had to set aside his feelings, they weren't gone, but he knew that he would need every ounce of fox cunning to solve this.

"Nick, This is Griss Sectavo, He's the lead investigator of Zootopia's Crime Investigation Team.


End file.
